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2009-06-18

The Pixar Poll - Last Day to Vote

We're down to the last day to vote for your favorite Pixar movie, so be sure to join in and make your voice known. I promise you that Ahmedinijad won't steal this election.

I should also note that I haven't voted yet myself. These polls are often to fulfill my own curiosity about my readers more than anything. I'm a bit surprised to see The Incredibles run away with the thing. In fact, the recent movies are getting all of the votes. Does this mean that the newer Pixar films are really better? Or have you just not seen the earlier ones in a while?

If I had to pick a favorite, I'd probably go with the first Toy Story, although I've long had a soft spot for Monsters, Inc. And there are some things about the early pre-Toy Story shorts that I really love. But who am I kidding, really? I'd go for the pie.

Again, my apologies for not writing regularly for the Ghibli Blog. The ongoing crisis in Iran has swallowed all of my attention. This is a crucial moment in history, and I have to make whatever difference I can. You can follow my latest comical exploits by checking my Twitter page or my sister blog, Videogames of the Damned. Please visit there and show your support.

5 comments:

Hello! I'm a newcomer to your blog, but I've been a Miyazaki fan ever since watching Spirited Away a couple of years ago. I absolutely love his work and I've been working on watching all that I can. I watched Nausicaa last night and it was the first of his that I wasn't entirely sold on, but I still felt transported at times. Is it horrible to say that I thought the weird 80s style soundtrack was really distracting?

Also, ever since I discovered the anime Anne of Green Gables I've been desperate to get my hands on it. I'm looking forward to watching the episodes you've posted here - thanks for doing that! Basically I want to thank you for taking the time to put together this blog and I'll be eagerly following from now on.

P.S. I voted for UP in your poll - I hope voting for the most recent film doesn't make me seem terribly simple minded. I just can't remember the last time a film made me cry in the first five minutes!

Welcome, Chondra! You'll find Daniel's writings most informative and inspiring. (For the record, I agree that, at first, the 80s style soundtrack on Nausicaa took me out of the movie, and I voted for Up, too. No worries.)

Speaking of Up: Daniel! You haven't reviewed it yet! Mike Barrier's reviewed it twice already! (He still doesn't like it.)

It's hard to choose though my favorite Pixar movie seems to lean toward A Bug's Life. I really like it as a single complete cinematic movie. Toy Story 2 is a close second, and may be even better though a Bug's Life feels more natural. Somehow this story of a naive ant appeals more to me than the others. It's almost an underdog movie. I often wonder why it gets looked at as one of the lesser of the Pixar films. Other pixar films have more heartwarming moments, but as a whole, I find a Bug's Life more satisfactory.

I'm not attacking anyone's opinion here (as mine too is opinion), but I would like to say I adore the music to Nausicaa! I heard the music long before I ever saw the film and became mesmerized by it.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Vangelis, so I might be more attuned to the use of electronic instruments than others. (I have noticed, on the whole, there is a kind of general dislike of electronic music in the United States which is thoroughly unlike Europe and Asia.)

This leads me to something I've wanted to bring up to Daniel for a long time but could never quite find the approriate entry to say it. (Now might be a bad time, though, given the unrest in Iran which has Daniel's full attention.) Daniel, you've got myriad entries on Miyazaki (both senior and junior), Takahata, pre-Ghibli films, Ibalard, World Masterpieces, etc. But you do NOT have ONE entry on Joe Hisaishi!! Why is this?!

Honest to God, in the same way that Star Wars would be much, much less without John Williams' amazing music, Miyazaki's films would only be 3/4 of what they are if you removed Joe Hisaishi's music. Think of the music for Ponyo, Totoro, Nausicaa, Spirtied Away, and one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, Princess Mononoke.

Daniel, after the Iranian elections wind down (positively or negatively) please, please add a blog entry or two about Joe Hisaishi.

Hey, it's great to hear from everybody and seeing you keep the flame lit for the Ghibli Blog!

I think I'll set up a couple of Open Threads, so you can chat about anything. You're right, I should write something about Joe Hisaishi, especially since he has that DVD coming out in Japan. I've always loved his music, and I can't imagine Miyazaki without him.

The music in Nausicaa? Well, I can see both sides. Some of the music, including the main theme, is just magnificent. It's very moving and perfect for the picture. But some of the synth-pop, well...I've always felt a little embarrassed by that. It sounds more like '80s Depeche Mode to my ears. But that was the common sound in Japan at that time, and unless I am mistaken (always a possibility), that's where Hisaishi's roots lie. He began as a pop musician with avant-garde leanings until Isao Takahata discovered him and introduced him to Miyazakif for Nausicaa.

Hisaishi has done some other movie scores, including a score for Buster Keaton's The General, which is available in the UK. But for the most part, he's Miyazaki's sound man.

Oh, and I'm sorry James couldn't get to vote for A Bug's Life before the polls closed. It was the only feature film not to get a vote. I was pretty surprised by the results myself.

Thanks again for joining in and working hard. As you know, there's a revolution going on in Iran, and I have to do everything I can to help. I hope and pray the bad guys just give up and let these people have their country back. Iran's democracy was stolen in 1953, and now it's time to steal it back.

As always, you can catch the action on my sister blog, Videogames of the Damned, or follow the Ghibli Blog's Twitter feed. I'll still try to post some material here as well. I have to write something long and winded about UP.